The season is over, the bowl game played, and the University of Utah finished with its first Pac-12 South division title since joining the conference. Now that the team has inked its 2019 recruiting class, the focus has shifted to offseason workouts and spring camp. The Utes didn’t lose many seniors from the 2018 squad, but they will have to replace some playmakers at a few key positions.
Taking a look ahead to next season’s team, it appears as if the Utes will have a strong squad again, but how will they stack up compared to 2018’s team? Which positions will be better heading into spring camp, which will be worse, and which will be about the same?
Let’s take a look at the offense:
Quarterback: Better
Yes, having Jack Tuttle transfer halfway through his freshman season was a tough pill to swallow, but the Utes will still be better at quarterback in 2019 than they were last season. Losing a talent like Tuttle is unfortunate, but when Tyler Huntley went down with a broken collarbone, Jason Shelley stepped in and proved why he won the backup job. Shelley went 3-2 in his starts, and gained valuable experience which will serve him well in the future. He will have only gotten better with another offseason to practice and learn, and the same can be said for Tyler Huntley, who enters spring camp as the returning starter.
Despite a rough start to his 2018 campaign, Huntley ripped off quite a four game stretch, when the Utes blew out Stanford, Arizona, USC, and UCLA. During those games, Huntley passed for 879 yards, rushed for 142, and accounted for 10 total touchdowns, before suffering a season-ending injury in a losing effort against Arizona State. The x-factor in this group is transfer Cam Rising, who was a four-star prospect who originally committed to Texas. Though it’s unlikely, there is a small possibility that Rising could be granted a waiver which would make him immediately eligible for 2019. The addition of Rising essentially offsets Tuttle’s transfer, and the Utes look to be in good shape at quarterback.
Coming in the fall
None. All scholarship quarterbacks are already on campus.
Running Back- Better
The Utes have some talented players returning at running back, the best of whom is 2019 Heisman Trophy and All-American hopeful Zack Moss. He will return for his senior year and look to take over the top spot on Utah’s all-time leading rushers list. If Moss stays healthy, it’s not crazy to think that he could have a season for the ages, he has all the tools and no real weakness. When Moss was lost with a season-ending injury, Armand Shyne took over the majority of the workload and did the best he could, rushing for 313 yards and three touchdowns in his four games as the starter. However, he showed that he still needs to work on his patience after the handoff. He was often too eager to hit the hole, and his per-carry average struggled because of it, particularly in the final four games of season. If Shyne can make improvements to those areas, he’s a strong candidate to be the backup, but he’ll have some talented underclassmen nipping at his heels.
The Utes have three other talented backs already on the roster: TJ Green, Devonta'e Henry-Cole, and Devin Brumfield. Those three all have different skill sets, however, so it will be up to Andy Ludwig to figure out the best combination of backs and when to use them. Brumfield arguably should have been given more opportunities last season, particularly in the Pac-12 championship game and bowl game, when Shyne struggled to move the ball. Green and Henry-Cole bring speed to the backfield, but have slightly different styles. Green is the type of back that can attack the edges and could be a valuable receiver out of the backfield, while Henry-Cole, though a bit undersized, can still run between the tackles and dole out punishment.
Coming in the fall
The Utes will be adding two intriguing talents, true freshmen Jordan Wilmore and Micah Bernard. Wilmore was a monster in high school, totaling nearly 7,500 yards of offense in three years, along with 84 touchdowns. Bernard is another exciting talent, as a junior, he rushed for over 2,400 yards and 27 touchdowns. As a senior, he was utilized as more of a hybrid WR/RB, but still rushed for 716 yards and nine touchdowns, while also catching 45 passes for 606 yards and six touchdowns. As talented as Bernard could be, he’s also only going to be 17 years-old to start the season.
Wide Receivers- About the same
Utah’s wide receivers were a bit of a mixed bag in 2018. Some of the guys expected to be big-time players disappointed. Some players did exactly what was expected of them, and others came out of nowhere to make an impact for the Utes.
Utah gets nearly all of its receivers back from 2018, with the exception of Jameson Field and Siaosi Mariner. This young receiving corps will benefit from another offseason to continue to learn and improve, and the Utes appear to have a good mix of outside receivers, slot receivers, and guys who can play both.
At slot, Britain Covey—who will miss spring camp—and Jaylen Dixon are the obvious playmakers, and they were Utah’s top two receivers in 2018. Terrell Perriman is another who could make more of an impact here, as he’ll be looking to break into the rotation after redshirting as a true freshman.
On the outside, Samson Nacua is a safe bet to start as long as he continues his current trajectory. Down the stretch in 2018, Nacua was Utah’s most reliable option on the outside, and led the team in touchdown receptions, with five. Young receivers Bryan Thompson and Solomon Enis should contribute heavily, as Enis played in all of Utah’s games, starting two. Thompson struggled with injuries in his second year, but was able to take advantage of the new redshirt rule, as he only played in four games as a sophomore. As long as he stays healthy, he’ll be expected to be a big play threat on the outside for the Utes. Demari Simpkins will also look to put together a solid senior season after having a bit of a down year as a junior.
Finally, the Utes were able to add a promising true freshman, Florida speedster Donte Banton. The speedster—who led all receivers in the 40 yard dash at The Opening’s Miami Regional in 2018—made it a point to graduate early so he’d be able to join the team for spring ball, and will look to see if he can make an impact as a true freshman.
Coming in the fall
Paging Mr. Jones… If four-star receiver Darren Jones can become eligible and enroll, the Ute suddenly have an imposing 6-foot-8 redzone threat.
Tight Ends: Better
Utah will return all four of its scholarship tight ends, including two that exploded onto the scene as true freshmen: Brant Kuithe and Cole Fotheringham. Those two combined for 381 yards and three touchdowns, and have a great blend of size and athleticism for Andy Ludwig to work with. Jake Jackson will also return for his senior season, after catching six passes for 41 yards and a touchdown in 2018. Finally, standout Australian athlete Thomas Yassmin is back after redshirting in his first year. If he can show that he’s got a firmer grasp of the game and has figured out how to put that athleticism to use, he could be yet another weapon for Utah to work with. If Yassmin can’t, he could have a promising future on the defense.
Coming in the fall
No new scholarship additions will be coming in the fall.
Offensive Line: Worse
Losing two first team all-Pac-12 players and an honorable mention selection is a tough blow to absorb, but Jim Harding will have plenty of promising pieces to work with next season. Darrin Paulo and Nick Ford will return, as will center Orlando Umana, and it’s safe to slot them in as three of the five starters, but the Utes will need to figure out who the other two are in a hurry.
Fortunately, the Utes were able to add four star junior college tackle Bamidele Olaseni, and though he’s still slightly raw, he has an unbelievable physical tool set for Harding to work with. It’s a safe bet that he will be one of the five starters in 2019, even though he won’t be arriving until fall camp. Some others who will be battling to show that they deserve to start will be Paul Toala, Braeden Daniels, Mo Unutoa, Simi Moala, and Paul Maile. Newcomers, Johnny Maea and Luke Felix-Fualalo will have a shot at valuable reps this spring.
Coming in the fall
Aside from Olaseni, freshmen Sataoa Laumea and Marist Talavou could also potentially make an impact on the line this year, while freshman tackle Falcon Kaumatule will likely need a year to redshirt, despite having tremendous upside. Finally, Olaseni’s junior college teammate, LaColby Tucker, could figure in to the picture at tackle, but he’s still a bit of question mark at the moment, due to academics.
